Tuesday, June 23, 2009

The Waiting Is the Hardest Part

We have hit the slowest time in the NFL offseason. Mini-camp is over and the tidbits of information we can get about the Cowboys are few and far between. This is the time of year that is the toughest for me to endure. The season is only 81 days away but right now that feels like forever.

What makes this year harder than the last few years is that we really can't predict what we are going to get from the Cowboys this season. As I have previously mentioned, the team has undergone some major changes this offseason so we really don't know how the newly assembled roster will come together during training camp. The one thing that is safe to say is that there are no more excuses for some of the key members of the team.

There are so many questions that pop in my head I don't know where to start. What will we get out of Roy Williams? Is Tony Romo going to step up and be a vocal leader on and off the field? Can Felix Jones stay healthy? Is Miles Austin ready to be an integral part of the offense? Can Demarcus Ware continue to dominate without Greg Ellis on the other side of the line? Is Sensabaugh the answer at safety? Can Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick take the next step in their development? Does Keith Brooking have a good season left in him? Is Martellus Bennett ready to play a bigger role in the offense? Will the special teams be improved? Can Anthony Spencer keep opposing offenses from doubling Demarcus Ware every play? Is the offensive line going to play better? Will the tackling improve? How can all of the running backs be utilized? Is Bobby Carpenter finally going to get on the field?

There are too many questions to list them all, but there is still a long time to wait before we start to get some real answers. And we won't get an answer to the most important question until January...can this team finally win a playoff game?